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Better team - this year or last year?

I'll say this year's team is better IF we can fix our offensive rebounds allowed problem. 12, 13, 15, 15... offensive rebounds allowed in our first four B12 games. We have more scoring options on this team. Niang gives us interior scoring we didn't have last year. Lucious has really settled into a steady, clutch player. Ball handling and defense seem to be improved from last year as well. A question that's been asked a thousand times... what if Royce came back for one more year. I honestly think we'd be talking national championship potential.

Re: Better team - this year or last year?

I think it's too early to tell. But it is a very good question. Ejim is consistently awesome. Lucious is dishing like a boss. Niang, Clayburn and Babb are working together with everyone and scoring. The bench is doing great. We're missing Mizzou as a benchmark this year, but we're damn good so far.

Re: Better team - this year or last year?

Originally Posted by CurvedAir

I'll say this year's team is better IF we can fix our offensive rebounds allowed problem. 12, 13, 15, 15... offensive rebounds allowed in our first four B12 games. We have more scoring options on this team. Niang gives us interior scoring we didn't have last year. Lucious has really settled into a steady, clutch player. Ball handling and defense seem to be improved from last year as well. A question that's been asked a thousand times... what if Royce came back for one more year. I honestly think we'd be talking national championship potential.

I disagree with that last part. The reason I disagree is that you are either taking the ball out of Lucious's hands or Niang isn't playing as much. Either way, we are losing production from one of those guys. Taking Ejims minutes isn't a question. You can't do that on this team. You could cut Babbs down but then, defensively, we are worse than we are now and that isn't very good. Yeah, Royce was great but I like this teams number of options much more with Luscious, Clyburn and Niang doing what Royce did. We don't have the one on one option but that's fine with me.

Re: Better team - this year or last year?

I don't know how Royce would mesh with this team. He wouldnt be the primary ball handler and he would slow us down IMO. He was great for last years team since they didnt have a PG but I would take Lucious (after non-conference games) over Royce handling the ball all day.

Re: Better team - this year or last year?

Originally Posted by Tre4ISU

I disagree with that last part. The reason I disagree is that you are either taking the ball out of Lucious's hands or Niang isn't playing as much. Either way, we are losing production from one of those guys. Taking Ejims minutes isn't a question. You can't do that on this team. You could cut Babbs down but then, defensively, we are worse than we are now and that isn't very good. Yeah, Royce was great but I like this teams number of options much more with Luscious, Clyburn and Niang doing what Royce did. We don't have the one on one option but that's fine with me.

White would have to play more traditional on this team, but you could still have him run the offense as well. Lucious is a much better shooter than I was expecting. You could move him off the ball. He reminds me a little bit of Mike Nurse. I don't think there's any question that White would make this a better team...if he'd accept the role of not having the ball in his hands every possession.

Re: Better team - this year or last year?

Originally Posted by CurvedAir

White would have to play more traditional on this team, but you could still have him run the offense as well. Lucious is a much better shooter than I was expecting. You could move him off the ball. He reminds me a little bit of Mike Nurse. I don't think there's any question that White would make this a better team...if he'd accept the role of not having the ball in his hands every possession.

And since he needs all of the attention on him at all times that wouldn't happen.

Re: Better team - this year or last year?

I actually think I like this year's teams potential over last year's team. But it's only potential right now. As someone said, if we don't fix our defensive rebounding problem, we won't be anywhere near as good. We just cannot continue to give up so many easy offensive rebounds to the opposition every night.

And we need to start putting teams away when we have the chance. We're lacking a killer instinct right now.

Re: Better team - this year or last year?

Last year.

This team would be a National title contender with White. I have no concerns about how he would fit in with this team. Just the opposite. Fred would have the other team so dazed and confused on how to stop such a versatile team with mismatches everywhere. White's bulk and power would also help our defense and rebounding, at least in the big games.

Re: Better team - this year or last year?

Gipson last year > Gipson this year
Booker last year > Booker this year
Chris Allen = Korie Lucious
Ejim last year < Ejim this year
McGee last year < McGee this year
Royce White > Clyburn
Babb last year = Babb this year

Clutch player this year = Niang = Clutch player last year = Christoperson

I think the tie breaker is that the competition in the Big 12 was much more competitive last year.

Re: Better team - this year or last year?

Originally Posted by CurvedAir

White would have to play more traditional on this team, but you could still have him run the offense as well. Lucious is a much better shooter than I was expecting. You could move him off the ball. He reminds me a little bit of Mike Nurse. I don't think there's any question that White would make this a better team...if he'd accept the role of not having the ball in his hands every possession.

I'll take Will over a traditional Royce. Another thing is this team doesn't have to be so dependant on the three like last years team did which devalues Royce slightly. Here's your lineup with Royce

Luscious
Clyburn
Ejim
Niang
Royce

That's not very good defensively. You also have two shooters on the floor without McGee and Babb. Put Babb in and you have to take away Ejim or Will which is either you most complete offensive player or best all around producer. I'm not saying the team wouldn't be better with Royce. I'm just saying he doesn't make us talk National Championship. The pieces we have just fit so well together when playing well that I think Royce throws a wrench in that at times.

Re: Better team - this year or last year?

Originally Posted by swarthmoreCY

Last year.

This team would be a National title contender with White. I have no concerns about how he would fit in with this team. Just the opposite. Fred would have the other team so dazed and confused on how to stop such a versatile team with mismatches everywhere. White's bulk and power would also help our defense and rebounding, at least in the big games.

Of course this year's team would be really good if you added White. Duh. What team wouldn't? But that wasn't the question.

I like our scoring options better this year. But I do miss White's ability to find the open guy. This year's team wouldn't need White's scoring at all IMO, but would LOVE to have his ability to draw the double team and find the open guy.

Re: Better team - this year or last year?

If Royce was on this team, I feel like the floor would be really spread out on fast breaks. When we snag defensive rebounds we go uptempo and throw outlets right away. I really think that it would be interesting to watch.

I still think that I like this years team more, and that is not what I expected at the beginning of the season. We are extremely balanced this year. I know we aren't Kentucky of last year, but I feel like we have very balanced scoring similar to them. We can get 5 guys in double figures very easily.
Korie is really turning it up. I hated his play 6 games ago, and he is playing some real good ball now. He is so dangerous if he stays his ground and doesn't try and be too flashy. I'm excited to see the rest of the year.

Re: Better team - this year or last year?

Originally Posted by Tredici

Gipson last year > Gipson this year
Booker last year > Booker this yearChris Allen = Korie Lucious
Ejim last year < Ejim this year
McGee last year < McGee this year
Royce White > Clyburn
Babb last year = Babb this year

Clutch player this year = Niang = Clutch player last year = Christoperson

I think the tie breaker is that the competition in the Big 12 was much more competitive last year.

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